Hardwood Floors October/November 2024

AT THE SITE Wood Floor Manufacturing Residuals (Continued)

Residuals may be used as a bio-based fuel that lessens dependence on fossil fuels while lowering a manufacturer’s environmental footprint. Manufacturers added that the days of using what you need and throwing the rest into a dumpster are over.

CAN UPCYCLING THESE PRODUCTS GENERATE ADDITIONAL REVENUE? Edwards: Yes, they can. We are relatively new at producing the bricks, so there is some cost with capturing it, but you’re more in control because, ultimately, we have to get rid of all our dust daily. If you’re not using it, you’re relying on somebody else to get rid of it for you. Fikes: We sell it to the pellet mills and the wood flour mills. At times, it can be profitable. At times, there’s way too much of that out there, and people will cut their prices, and you may just only get your freight out of it, but when there’s a shortage of it, it can be a profit center. Not a huge profit center, but yes. Merrick: Yes, upcycling wood residual products can generate additional revenue by creating valuable products from waste materials, reducing disposal costs, and tapping into eco-conscious market segments.

HOW DOES REUSING THE RESIDUALS FURTHER STRENGTHEN WOOD’S SUSTAINABILITY STORY?

Edwards: You are being a good steward of 100 percent of the resource you’re processing, not just having someone get rid of it. Real wood is a much greener option than people can comprehend. Fikes: The byproducts that we have are used for other products. It’s used for wood pellets that go into boilers and is a clean-burning fuel. Wood is the only product you can make a wood pellet out of; if hardwood went away, there wouldn’t be wood pellets burning in wood fire stoves or pellet grills, which is a huge industry right now. Merrick: We can sell a vertically integrated story, from the tree to hardwood flooring, and use its byproducts and waste stream to make a sustainable product. Our company’s zero waste initiative is one of our main principles, reflecting our commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility. Further, residuals may be used as a bio-based fuel that lessens dependence on fossil fuels while lowering a manufacturer’s environmental footprint. Manufacturers added that the days of using what you need and throwing the rest into a dumpster are over. With fewer sawmills still in existence, the demand for residuals remains high, and quality control and consistency are key to succeeding. And remember, wood floors require fewer raw materials and ingredients to produce than other flooring options in the first place.

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